This invention relates to an apparatus and method for storing and sterilizing objects, such as haircutting shears. In alternative applications, the invention may be used for sterilizing hair combs, manicure tools, dental or medical instruments, and other related devices. Although haircutting shears are not commonly sterilized after each use, California has recently enacted a law requiring such sterilization. Other states have not presently followed suit, but are expected to shortly.
According to the prior art, haircutting shears are commonly sterilized by submerging the shears in a sterilizing solution until needed by a user. Since each pair of used shears must be periodically sterilized, two or more shears are generally stored in the solution at any one time. If the shears are soiled by being dropped onto the floor or by cutting the stylist or customer during service, the stylist can readily obtain a second pair of shears and continue cutting while the soiled pair is being sterilized.
Depending upon the work load of the user and the attentiveness of the user to sterilization, any given pair of shears may remain in the sterilizing solution for an inadequate amount of time for sterilization to occur, or for hours without use. Because of this, the shears are either non-sterile or prone to corrosion and rust.
The present invention addresses this and other problems of sterilizing haircutting shears by providing an apparatus which stores several pairs of shears, dips the blades of the shears in a sterilizing solution for a predetermined length of time sufficient to achieve sterilization, such as 10 or 15 minutes, and then automatically removes the shears from the solution for continued storage until use. The invention ensures proper and sufficient sterilization of the shears without corrosion and rusting. Moreover, the invention allows convenient access to one or more pairs of sterilized shears at any given time.